EMPOWERING NATIONS WITH HIS WORD
YEAR OF BUILDING - 2015
EMPOWERED LIVING
ISSUE 6, VOLUME 2
MAY & JUNE 2015
[Magazine of Empowered Christian Life Ministries]
From The Pastor’s Desk
Church,
In this issue…
Truly we have been seeing how God is performing
wonders in our midst. We are continuing to experience
the building work in our lives. The recent prayer revival
meeting we held is a testament to the new work that the
Lord is doing in our midst. We had Bro. J Sam
Jebadurai speaking and it was a blessing. We also had
Pastor David in our midst. We have been called to serve
and to build each other. Bro. Mallick and Sis. Aruna
have obeyed the Lord in the waters of baptism this
month. Please join us in welcoming our brother and
sister in the Lord and into our church family. Also, our
Easter outreach and Easter services were a blessing! Let
us strive to not only be hearers of the Word, but be
doers of the Word as well. To many of us God has been
speaking through His word, through Ephesians 3:20 –
“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly
above all we ask or think, according to the power that
works in us” and to some of us through Philippians
4:13 - “I can do all things through Christ who
strengthens me.” Believe these life-changing words as
you meditate and are strengthened by it. God is able to
work when His people act in faith.
Blessings,
Pastor Reji Thomas
Upcoming events
Cooking culturally
- China
Rejoice Always
- Pastor Reji Thomas
Making the cut
– Bro. Joshua Andrews
Missionary Biography
- Amy Wilson Carmichael
Burden too heavy?
– Sis. Reni Stephen
Riddles for fun
Kids Korner – Word hunt
EMPOWERING NATIONS WITH HIS WORD
YEAR OF BUILDING - 2015
Upcoming events
Ladies Prayer Meet: Every Tuesday @ 7 p.m.
Empowered Kidz Meet - Every Saturday - Sevenoaks School Gym - 275 Sevenoaks
Street, Cannington, WA @ 06:00 p.m.
Brother’s Meet: Every Tues & Thurs: 06:00 a.m.
Youth Meeting: Every third Sunday: Beckenham Community Centre @ 06:00 p.m.
Prayer walk – through the suburbs of Perth – Groups assigned for March, April &
May.
Book of the Month
Proverbs
Verse of the Month
Philippians 4:13
Cooking Culturally – Prawn fried rice - China
Ingredients:
2 tbsp. vegetable oil, 2 egg beaten, 2 small cups of green
peas, 15 king prawns {shelled, cleaned, and slightly coated
with paprika and salt and precooked slightly for 5 minutes.},
500 gm. Basmati rice or long grain rice – [boiled and cooked
till done], salt to taste, 2 tsp. soya sauce, spring onions (sliced).
Method:
1. Heat oil in a wok, on high heat until hot.
2. Pour beaten egg into wok, stirring constantly. When egg has cooked a little into a
scramble (about a minute or two) add frozen peas, king prawns and stir for a
minute. Fry the mixture till it gives the earthy aroma.
3. Next add in the pre-cooked rice into the wok and fry for three minutes.
4. Add salt and soya sauce to taste and fry for another three minutes. Serve hot.
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EMPOWERING NATIONS WITH HIS WORD
REJOICE ALWAYS
YEAR OF BUILDING - 2015
– Pastor Reji Thomas
Greetings!! I greet you all in the matchless name of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. The
world is moving to an era of ungodliness and chaos, and the word of God reminds the
followers of Christ to be “renewed by the transforming of our minds, so that we can do the
will of God” Rom 12:2 Only those who have done the will of God in our earthly lives will
receive the reward from the Lord. Our minds play a very important role in our life, as it
serves as the centre for all decision making. Our decision to be happy or grumpy in a situation
comes from the makeup of our mind. Our decision to stay focused in trouble all comes from a
mind that is trained to react in such manner. Often the world calls them as ‘great minds’. The
word of God recognises the importance of the role of our minds in our earthly life and
reminds us to renew our mind on a constant basis that we may do the will of God.
Every day we are faced with challenges, troubles, fears, discouragements and the ability to
stand against them lies in the makeup of our mind (determination) and the ability for us to
work with the spirit of God to overcome these challenges. Often we get tired, and hence the
importance of renewing our mind to do the will of God for that particular day. We need to
learn to live for each day as the Lord taught us,’ therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for
tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is it own trouble” Mat 6:34
It is only when we are not fearful or discouraged that we see the opportunity that lies in that
particular situation. Claiming and reciting Gods word plays an equally important part in the
process of fighting the daily battles of life. God’s word is the sword that keeps the enemy
away.
Another word that the Lord is reminding me these days is 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice
always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ
Jesus for you”. This word exhorts us to rejoice, pray and give thanks in all situations always
clearly pointing to us that this is Gods will for our lives. It is nothing better to live in the will
of God for our lives. Our lives may throw troubles and challenges and fears, but when we
rejoice, pray and give thanks we are giving glory the Lord. While we do all these we are
mocking the enemy and we are declaring, “In all these things we are more than conquerors
through Him who loved us”. - Rom 8:37
I want to encourage you to mock the devil and give glory to God. David was a little boy who
was facing a big giant. When he went out to meet the giant with his shepherds staff and the
sling.. Goliath said “Am I a dog that you have come with a stick” or in other words are you
here to make fun of me. Child of God when you stand in whatever situation that you are
praying, praising and giving glory to God – you are doing the will of God and mocking the
enemy. In His time the Lord will come with a mighty hand and deliver you and break every
limitation in your life. God bless you.
Stay Blessed.
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EMPOWERING NATIONS WITH HIS WORD
YEAR OF BUILDING - 2015
MAKING THE CUT: gOD NEEDS THE ORDINARY
Matthew 4:18 – 20 (NASB)
- Bro. Joshua Andrews
18 Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was
called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19
And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they
left their nets and followed Him.
Every year, teenagers all around the world apply to the universities and colleges of their choice,
waiting eagerly for the outcome and the approval letter that could define and make their future.
This is something that we too have experienced in our lives at some stage or the other.
Even in Biblical times, this was not much different. Schools were associated with the local
synagogue in first century Galilee. Apparently each community would hire a teacher
(respectfully called "rabbi") for the school. While this teacher was responsible for the
education of the village he had no special authority in the synagogue itself. Children began
their study at age 4-5, when they were considered old enough to learn the Scripture. The
teaching focused primarily on the Torah, emphasizing both reading and writing Scripture.
Large portions were memorized and it is likely that many students knew the entire Torah by
memory by the time this level of education was finished. By the time they were 13, they are
ready for the fulfillment of the commandments. This is when the selection process began. Only
the brightest and the smartest were chosen to follow their “rabbi” going wherever he went and
learning from his teachings and lifestyle. As for those who weren’t chosen, their choices were
from carpentry, fishing or sheep-herding.
Simon, Andrew, James and John would have gone through the same process only to meet
disappointment at the end of their learning curve. They would have looked back in despair at
the thought that while they could have been following a rabbi, they were down by the dock,
knee-deep in their family business of fishing.
When Jesus set to call out his disciples, he chose the ones who were rejected. He chose the
ones who were considered the ordinary run-of-the-mill fishermen. He did not look at their
stature or their position in their society. Their family background was the least of his concerns.
Their past failures did not bother Jesus as He knew from the beginning that the world was
going to be shaken by a bunch of fishermen and tax collectors and not learned scholars of the
day. When these disciples heard Jesus call, they needed no other confirmation. They left their
nest to follow the ultimate Rabbi. What an honor!
Today Jesus extends the same invitation to us. Not because we are the brightest or the cream of
the crop, but because He needs the ordinary you and me.
In His hands, the ordinary become the extraordinary. If you think that you are one among a
million, you got that wrong. In His eyes, you are one of a kind. Treasured and chosen by the
Most High.
Stay blessed.
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EMPOWERING NATIONS WITH HIS WORD
YEAR OF BUILDING - 2015
AMY WILSON CARMICHAEL – MISSIONARY BIOGRAPHY
Amy Beatrice (a.k.a. Wilson) Carmichael (December 16, 1867–January 18, 1951)
was a Protestant Christian missionary in India, who opened an orphanage and
founded a mission in Dohnavur. She served in India for fifty-six years without
furlough and authored many books about the missionary work.
She was born in the small village of Millisle in Northern Ireland to devout Presbyterians, David and
Catherine Carmichael and was the oldest of seven children. Every night before she went to bed, little
Amy Carmichael prayed ardently for God to turn her brown eyes blue as she slept. Like many browneyed Irish girls in the 19th century, she adored the typical image of feminine Irish beauty that included
blue eyes and white skin. So, she prayed with a hope that it seems only children can muster. As she
grew older she began teaching a Sunday morning class at a local church for a group of women who
were in need of spiritual direction and guidance. This class would later become a congregation called
the Welcome Evangelical Church in Belfast, Ireland. After her father's death, she was adopted and
tutored by Robert Wilson, cofounder of the Keswick Convention. In many ways she was an unlikely
candidate for missionary work. She suffered neuralgia, a disease of the nerves that made her whole
body weak and achy and often put her in bed for weeks on end.
Initially Amy travelled to Japan for fifteen months, but she later found her lifelong vocation in
southernmost India. The Church of England Zenana Missionary Society commissioned her. The
missionaries she worked with did everything they could to fit into the culture of which they were
becoming a part. Amy reflected once that she now understood why she had brown eyes – a blue-eyed
missionary would have been at odds that never could have truly fit in with the people and was
thankful to God for God’s intricate and elegant design. Much of her work was with young ladies,
some of who were saved from forced prostitution. It was not uncommon in India at the time for young
girls to be given to the local Hindu temple. This saved the family of the girl money because they did
not have to take care for the young one who was considered as a drain on the finances – unlike a son.
The priests made money by selling the young girls as prostitutes to help cover the expenses of the girl
and the priests who controlled her. Amy couldn’t bear to let this happen and she devoted herself to
rescuing these girls and housing them in whatever way she could. Soon she founded what is known as
the Dohnavur Fellowship. Dohnavur is situated in Tamil Nadu, just thirty miles from the southern tip
of India. Under her loving guidance, the fellowship would become a place of sanctuary for more than
one thousand children who would otherwise have faced a bleak future.
In an effort to respect Indian culture, members of the organization wore Indian dress and the children
were given Indian names. She herself dressed in Indian clothes dyed her skin with coffee to further aid
in her integration and assimilation into Indian culture. She did all this largely for the children she
ministered to, and often travelled long distances on India's hot, dusty roads to save just one child from
suffering.
Amy insisted: “One can give without loving, but one cannot love without giving.” Amy Carmichael's
work also extended to the printed page. She was a prolific writer, producing thirty-five published
books including His Thoughts Said . . . His Father Said (1951), If (1953), and Edges of His Ways (1955).
Best known, perhaps, is an early historical account, Things as They Are: Mission Work in Southern India
(1903). She wrote over 40 books.
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EMPOWERING NATIONS WITH HIS WORD
YEAR OF BUILDING - 2015
AMY WILSON CARMICHAEL – MISSIONARY BIOGRAPHY…continued from page 5
Some of her famous quotes are:
“We say, then, to anyone who is under trial, give Him time to steep the soul in His eternal truth. Go into the
open air, look up into the depths of the sky, or out upon the wideness of the sea, or on the strength of the hills that
is His also; or, if bound in the body, go forth in the spirit; spirit is not bound. Give Him time and, as surely as
dawn follows night, there will break upon the heart a sense of certainty that cannot be shaken.”
“ If I do not give a friend “The benefit of the doubt,” but put the worst construction instead of the
best on what is said or done, then I know nothing of Calvary love. If I take offence easily; if I am
content to continue in cold unfriendliness, though friendship is possible, then I know nothing of
Calvary love. If I fear to hold another to the highest goal because it is so much easier to avoid doing
so, then I know nothing of Calvary love. If the ultimate, the hardest, cannot be asked of me; if my
fellows hesitate to ask it and turn to someone else, then I know nothing of Calvary love. If I do not
look with eyes of hope on all in whom there is even a faint beginning, as our Lord did when, just after
His disciples has wrangled about which of them should be accounted the greatest, He softened His
rebuke with those heart-melting words, “Ye are they which continue with Me in my temptations,”
then I know nothing of Calvary love.”
“Give me the love that leads the way, the faith that nothing can dismay, the hope no disappointments
tire, the passion that will burn like fire; Let me not sink to be a clod: Make me Thy fuel, Flame of
God. You can always give without loving, but you can never love without giving. Those who think
too much of themselves don’t think enough. God, harden me against myself!”
“Can we follow the Savior far, who have no wound or scar? Do not fight the thing in detail: turn from
it. Look ONLY at your Lord. Sing. Read. Work!!”
In 1931, Carmichael was badly injured in a fall, which left her bedridden much of the time until her
death. Amy Carmichael died in India in 1951 at the age of 83. She asked that no stone be put over her
grave; instead, the children she had cared for put a birdbath over it with the single inscription
"Amma”.
RIDDLES FOR FUN
See if you can get them all without any help. Enjoy!!
1. Take one off and scratch my head, what once was red is now black instead.
2. I have streets but no pavements, cities but no buildings, forests yet no trees, rivers yet no
water.
3. I sharp on one end and have a big head on the other. What I need most, is someone to drive
me home.
4. Take my skin off but I wont cry, but you will. What am I?
5. What kind of coat can be put on only when wet?
6. A skin I have, more eyes than one. I can be very nice when I am done. What am I?
7. What runs around a house but doesn’t move?
8. The more you take away, the bigger it becomes. What am I?
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EMPOWERING NATIONS WITH HIS WORD
BURDEN TOO HEAVY?
YEAR OF BUILDING - 2015
- Sis. Reni Stephen
There is an old story about three men and their sacks. Each man had two sacks, one tied in front of his neck and
the other tied on his back. When the first man was asked what was in his sacks, he said, "In the sack on my back
are all the good things friends and family have done. That way they're hidden from view. In the front sack are all
the bad things that have happened to me. Every now and then I stop, open the front sack, take the things out,
examine them, and think about them." Because he stopped so much to concentrate on all the bad stuff, he really
didn't make much progress in life. The second man was asked about his sacks. He replied, "In the front sack are
all the good things I've done. I like to see them, so quite often I take them out to show them off to people. The
sack in the back is where I keep all my mistakes and carry them all the time. Sure they're heavy. They slow me
down, but you know, for some reason I can't put them down." When the third man was asked about his sacks, he
answered, "The sack in front is great. There I keep all the positive thoughts I have about people, all the blessings
I've experienced, all the great things other people have done for me. The weight isn't a problem. The sack is like
sails of a ship. It keeps me going forward. "The sack on my back is empty. There's nothing in it. I cut a big hole
in its bottom. In there I put all the bad things that I can think about myself or hear about others. They go in one
end and out the other, so I'm not carrying around any extra weight at all." What we carry around affects our
spiritual life.
The writer of Hebrews uses the metaphor of a runner to illustrate the spiritual life. Living the spiritual life is like
running a race. We cannot imagine a marathon runner running with a sack on his or her back. That will hinder
their running. A runner will do everything they can to reduce the excess weight. The writer of Hebrews advises
us to “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles” in order to run the race (Heb.12:1).
Unfortunately, many of us are like the first man. We keep before our eyes all the bad and horrible things that has
happened to us; our poor relationships with other people, our bad experiences and unfulfilled expectations in
church, and the horrible events that scarred our lives. What is out of sight is out of mind. We do not remember
the good that others have done for us. Our focus is on the bad things, which crowd our thoughts causing anger
and bitterness. It is hard to run forward when there is so much negative emotional burden.
The heaviness of these burdens causes some of us to drop out of the race, like those marathon runners falling by
the roadside. Once down, we are contented to stay down and refused to get up. Others leave the church not
realising that they are bringing their sacks with them. Still others struggle for spiritual growth yet not bearing
fruits and making progress because their souls are being poisoned by bitterness and unforgiveness. The second
man keeps his achievements and things that make him feel good in front of him. He revels in his
accomplishments, his wealth, his fame, and in his sacrificial service for the church. He always reminds others of
his contribution to the church, and the favours he has done for others. He turns a blind eye to his mistakes, his
imperfections, his idolatry, and his pride. All these he throws into the sack behind him so that he does not see
them. Unfortunately what the eye does not see remains in the subconscious. The prick of conscience is a constant
thorn in his side and the sacks remain heavy. Such people need great effort to run. Some can hardly walk. Every
step is a struggle because of the weight of the load of the sacks they carry. The third man fills his front sack with
positive thoughts, gratitude and appreciation for people around him, and the blessings he has received. For all the
gossips, slanders, and bad experiences, he forgives and forgets. He throws them into the sack at his back, which
has a big hole in the bottom. Thus the back sack is empty, and he is freed from bitterness, hatred, and anger. He
only feels the goodness of this life and of the blessings of God. All these make his sack to act as a sail. The Holy
Spirit who is like a wind blows the sail and helps him forward as he runs the race. Running the spiritual race is so
much easier if we get rid of bitterness, unforgiveness, and anger. That is what Jesus is giving us when He offers
us His yoke. Many of us are running like the first man or the second man. Our sacks are heavy with our burdens
and they wear us out. Jesus offers, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you
rest…For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”- (Matthew 11:28-30). Being yoked with Jesus is like the third
man. He is like Eric Liddell, an Olympic runner in the movie Chariots of Fire who said, “God make me fast. And
when I run fast, I feel His pleasure.” For Eric Liddell, however, the Olympics were not the ultimate race. The
son of Scottish missionaries to China, he saw his whole life as a race: a race for the kingdom of heaven. That is
why, two years after taking the Olympic gold, he sailed to China, to become a missionary himself.
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EMPOWERING NATIONS WITH HIS WORD
YEAR OF BUILDING - 2015
WORD HUNT
You are to hunt for ten words of five letter each and all beginning with the letters RO. Each word is described
or defined to help you guess it, and you may check your answer by looking for the word in the Bible verse
given.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Large Stones [Jeremiah 4:29]
Parts of a house [Matthew 23:6]
Man of a certain nationality [Acts 22:29]
Garments [Luke 20:46]
A way to cook meat [1 Samuel 2:15]
To waken [Genesis 49:9]
Parts of a tree [Mark 11:20]
The opposite of smooth [Isaiah 40:4]
Kingly [Esther 5:1]
Large twisted cords [Acts 27:32]
PRAYER REQUESTS
• Land & Property requirements of the
church and expansion plans.
• All ministry related work and expansion
• Driving licenses for all learners.
• Jobs and houses for all who seek settlement
ECLM Sunday services
English: 08:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Malayalam: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
May & JUNE birthdays
SEBA – 03 May
Master manish Mallick – 13 may
SHAJI – 15 MAY
MASTER ABHISHEK DEEPAK – 19 MAY
SERINA – 20 MAY
Vinod – 21 May
TENZING – 31 MAY
MISS HANNAH TENZING – 02 JUN
ELIZABETH – 06 JUN
MASTER JONATHAN JOBIN – 09 JUN
PASTOR REJI THOMAS – 12 JUN
MARYKUTTY (pRESCILLA’S MUMMY) – 13 JUN
MASTER DANIEL JOBIN – 19 JUN
NEHA BINOJ – 20 JUN
May WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
VINOD & RESHMA – 13 MAY
Beckenham Community Hall,
55 Streatham Street, Beckenham
WA 6107
Tamil: 06:00 P.M. – 08:00 P.M.
102 Sheffield road,
Wattle grove,
WA 6107
Empowered Living - Edited and published by: Empowered Christian Life Ministries.
Background image source - Google. Editor: Mrs. Reni Stephen – 0406805502 / [email protected]
[All queries either by phone or email please]. All material is exclusive work of ECLM.
No reproduction permitted. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of it may be granted with prior permission.